Driving mechanism



1933 R. P. LANSiNG 1,988,206

DRIVING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 15, 1930 attorney Patented 31m. 15, 1935 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRIVHNG MECHANISM Raymond P. Lansing, Montclair, N. J.,assignor to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orange, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 15, 1930, Serial No. 428,770

29 Claims. I (Cl. 123179) This invention relates to driving mechanism In the drawing, wherein like reference charand more particularly to a, clutch or coupling acters refer to like parts throughout the several device which is herein illustrated as constituting views,- a part of an engine starting apparatus, but is also Fig. l is an axial section of a starting appa- I capable of application to and use with virtually ratlls embodying the invention; and

any type of rotating drive. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 Certain starters of this character heretofore of F g. 1.

provided have embodied a small relatively high Referring more particularly to 1, the speed inertia member adapted'to be drivably pres nt inven ion is illu r as pp i to a connected through reduction gearing to a jaw Starter Comprising a housing constituted y an clutch member whereby the latter had a relainner pertion p e to be Secured in y tively low speed of rotation. Such construction suitable manner as by means of screws 2 to a a permitted the jaw clutch member to be readily p ti 3 f an engine crank a (a ti n f engaged with the engine member for starting the latter being shown in do ted lines), and all 1.3 purposes. outer enlarged portion 4 which is adapted to lo However, in certain instances it may be dehouse a fly A ver Plate 6 having an sirable to rotate the jaw clutch member at a' t i motor 7 upp d thereon as by m a s speed greatly in excess of that which has here- Of u One Of which 8 Shown at is adapted tofore been considered normal, but much diflito Close t e Outer pe end the fly zu culty has been encountered in successfully esand is d y attached thereto y means of tablishing a driving engagement between the a p u ality of bolts Flywheel 5 i5 Va-bly constarter jaw clutch member and the engine mem d. a manner to be m u ly described her under these conditions hereafter, to a driven or jaw clutch member 10 One of the objects of the present invention which is normally d s d from, but S mOV- 35 is accordingly to provide novel engine starting able to engage a Crank 5 p d 'y j w mechanism which is so constructed as to overclutch member 11 drivably associated w the come the above difliculty. crankshaft, 01 crankshaft extension 12 0f the Another object of the invention is to provide engine t0 be Startednovel means for facilitating engagement between The electric motor is adapted to rotate so a relatively high speed starter or other driving fl wh l 5 at a relatively high p d in ord r t member and a, stationary engine member o store therein a large amount of kinetic energy other part to be driven, to be employed for starting purposes, Pref- A further object is to provide in combination ab y. the immature Shaft 0f the motor is with an inertia starter embodying a jaw clutch sp y threaded as at 13 a d carries a d 14 1 member adapted to be rotated at a relatively which is movable into engagem t wi dOg 35 high speed, novel means for reducing the speed 5 drivably Connected to the flywheel- OES 4 of the jaw clutch member prior to its engageand 15,818 Shown, a e normally disenga there ment with an engine member, I being provided a spring 16 confined between a A still further object is to provide in combina- D 7 a d the hub portion of 8 14 for his 40 tion with an inertia starter, having a relatively purpose, it being pointed Out that the Spring 0 high speed engine engaging member adapted tends to move dog 4 t0 the right. as viewed in to be moved into driving engagement with an Fig. 1. Up energlzatioh of motor the a maengine member, novel means associated with the ture shaft will rotate and due to theinertia of engine member and cooperating with the engine dog 14 and the spiral threaded connection 13,

engaging member for. facilitating engagement said dog will be automatically moved into en- 45 between said members. gagement with dog 15.

Other objects and novel features of the in- Preferably, the dog 15 is formed integrally vention will appear more fully hereinafter from with a sleeve 18 which may be Suitably e ly the following description taken in connection Sp d to a hOllOW Shaft d drivably conwith the accompanying drawing. It is to be nected with the hub portion of flywheel 5 in any 50 expressly understood, however, that the drawconvenient manner, as for example, by means ing is for purposes of illustration only and is not of a key 20. The flywheel 5 is preferably rodesigned as a definition of the limits of the tatably mounted as by means of ball bearings invention, reference being had for this purpose 21 and 22, housed'within a boss 23 of cover 6,

to the appended claims. the outer races of said ball bearings being re- 65 V lar disk 24 secured to the boss by screws 25 and:

tained in proper operative relation by an annuby a spacing ring 26. A nut 2'7 secured to one end of sleeve 18 coacts with a nut 28 carried by one end of the shaft 19 to maintain the flywheel and inner races of the ball bearings in proper assembled relation with respect to said sleeve and shaft.

The Opposite end of shaft 19 is preferably so formed as to constitute a sun gear 29 which is adapted to mesh with three planetary pinions, one of which is shown in section at 30, and which are disposed at intervals of 120 around the closed end 31 of a driving barrel 32 .rotatably mounted by bearings 33' in the housing. Each pinion 30 is rotatably mounted as by means of ball bearings 34 carried by sleeves 35 pressed into counterbores in barrel end 31, the inner races of said ball bearings and said sleeve being retained in proper cooper-' ative relation by retaining ring 36 and screws 37.

Each of the pinions 30 mesh with an internal gear 38 which is rigidly mounted in housing P rtion 1 as by means of screws 39, one or more dowel pins 40 being also provided to relieve the said screws of shearing stresses.

Means are provided for transmitting motion from the barrel 32 to the starter clutch Jaw member 10 and such means preferably include a yielding driving connection. In the form shown such yielding driving connection is constituted by a @multiple disk clutch, certain of the disks 41 thereof being splined to the interior of the barrel 32, while the remaining disks 42 are splined to the exterior surface of an interiorly threaded nut 43 and are arranged in interleaving relation with the disks 41. A plurality of springs 44 are preferably provided for maintaining the disks of said clutch in constant frictional engagement, and means comprising an adjusting nut 45 threadedly received by the inner end of the barrel may be employed for adjusting the tension of said springs in order to vary the pressure between the disks of the clutch. Any suitable locking means, such as that indicated at 46 may be employed for locking the nut 45 in adjusted position.

Mounted within nut 43 is a shaft 4'7, whichis adapted to have longitudinal and rotary movement with respect thereto. One end of shaft 4'! is splined as at 48 to receive the'splined portion 49 of the starter member 10, the other end of said shaft being provided with a stop nut 50 which is adapted to engage a shoulder 51 on nut 43 in order to limit the outward movement of said-,.shaft. Resilient means such as a's'pring 52 may be interposed between the inner face of the hub portion of the starter member and shaft 47, if desired, in order to yieldingly resist movement of the starter jaw towar$ said shaft. Oil sealing means 10 are adapted to cooperate with the hub portion of the starter member 10 in order to prevent seepage of'oil from the engine crank case into the starter mechanism.

The closed end of barrel 32 carries a laterally extending projection 53 constituting a support for the sun gear 29. A suitable anti-friction bearing 54 is interposed between the sun gear and projection 53. A rod 55 slidably extends through projection 53, shaft 4'? and the hub portion of starter member 10. A nut 56 carried by the inner endof the rod maintains the starter jaw in proper operative relation with respect to said rod and. shaft. Rod 55 is provided intermediate its ends with a shoulder 57 which is normally in abutting engagement with the inner end of shaft 47 and which is employed for a purpose that will appear more fully hereinafter.

Means are provided to shift rod 55 longitudinally toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, whereby to cause engagement between the starter and engine members 10 and 11 respectively. To this end, the outer extremity of said rod carries a transversely extending pin 58, the opposite ends of which extendthrough elongated slots in the shaft 19 and into an annular, flanged collar 59 which loosely surrounds said shaft. As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the collar may be made in two halves held together by screws 60.

Extending outwardly from the opposite sides of collar 59 are trunnions 61 adapted to be engaged by the forked ends of lever arms 62 carried by sleeves 63 and 64 that are rigidly attached in any suitable manner to a rock shaft 65. The latter is journaled in the starter housing, any suitable means such as a spring 66 being employed for normally maintaining the rock shaft and'parts operated thereby in the position indicated in the drawing. A suitable operating lever 67 is'provided for rocking the shaft 65, whereby the lever arms 62 will be rotated through a small arc, thus advancing collar 59 together with pin 58 and rod 55 axially of shaft 19 and toward the left, as viewed in Fig. l, to shift clutch jaw 10 to cranking position.

Means are provided whereby the rotation of the starter member is substantially arrested and re duced to a low or zero speed of rotation, prior to theengagement between the starter and engine jaw members, and such means are preferably so constructed as to have no effect on the starter member during initial rotation thereof and before operation of the shifting mechanism to cause engagement between said members. In the form shown, such means is constituted by a member or collar 74 longitudinally splined to the outer periphery of the clutch jaw 11 and having a beveled outer rim, normally spaced from, but adapted to be frictionally engaged by the complementary beveled periphery of starter jaw 10 upon longitudinal movement of the latter toward the left. Resilient means, such as a spring 75 confined between a member 76 and an annular shoulder 77 formed on collar 74, normally maintains saidcollar in the position indicated and yieldingly resists advancement of the starter member toward the engine member. Stop means comprising a flange 78 formed on a hollow cylinder '79 is adapted to cooperate with shoulder '77 to limit outward movement of the collar 74, these elements being so constituted as to normally prevent engagement between the outer rim of the collar and the starter member 10, as indicated in Fig. 1. The engine member 11 may be removably secured in any suitable manner, as by'means of bolt 80 and disc 81, to the member 12 which is the crankshaft of the engine tobe started, or an extension thereof.

Upon energization of the motor '1, dog 14 will automatically move into engagement with the flywheel dog 15, rotation of the motor armature being imparted through these elements to the flywheel in order to store therein suflicient kinetic energy for starting purposes. The sun gear 29 which is driven by shaft 19, drives the planetary, pinions 30 which cooperate with the stationary gear 38 to rotate the barrel 32- at reduced-speed. Clutch disks 41 will rotate with the barrel and through the frictional engagement between said disks and disks 42, drive the interiorly threaded nut 43,. fiihaft 47 and starter'jaw 10 will rotate aeaaeos as a unit together with the nut 43, it being pointed out that the rim of the starter member is free from frictional engagement with the beveled rim of the collar 74.

After the-flywheel is brought to the desired speed of rotation, the supply of electrical energy to the motor is interrupted and lever 67 is actu-' ated to cause meshing between the starter and engine members. Actuation of this lever will rock shaft 65 together with lever arms 62, against the opposing tendency of spring 66, and move the pin 58 toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1. Longitudinal movement of the pin, will cause axial movement of rod 55, the shoulder 57 thereon moving shaft 47 and spring 52 tothe left relative to the nut 43, such movement causing starter jaw 10 to be yieldingly advanced into frictional engagement with the collar 74 carried by the engine number 11. After such engagement has been effected and during the remaining movement of the starter member toward the engine member, the rotation of said starter member will be momentarily arrested, it being pointed out that the inclination of the threads between the nut 43 and shaft 47 will cause said shaft and the starter member carried thereby, to be rapidly moved longitudinally as soon as rotation of the starter mem-- ber is resisted. As the starter member approaches the engine member, the frictional engagement between the rim of the stationary collar 74 and the starter member increases because of the compression of the spring 75, thus insuring low rotational speed of the starter jaw when engaged with the engine jaw. Upon such engagement being effected, further longitudinal travel of the starter member will be arrested, and the same will be rotated by the flywheel and driving connections therebetween, to crank the engine to be started.

As soon as the engine starts under its own power, the inclination of the teeth on the starter and engine members is such that the former will be moved out of engagement with the latter, this operation being aided by the collar 74 which is normally resiliently urged outwardly. There is thus provided novel means for use in cranking internal combustion engines, including Diesel engines. Due to the provision of the novel meshing means whereby the speed of the starter jaw clutch member is reduced prior to its engagement with the engine member, the speed of the flywheel can be maintained without the necessity for stepping down the speed of rotation of the jaw clutch member to the extent heretofore considered essential. As stated, it has been customary to use a small inertia member rotated at very high speed, such for example as thirteen or fourteen thousand R. P. M. Usually, two or more steps of reduction gearing were interposed between the flywheel and the engine engaging member, not only to increase the torque available for cranking purposes, but also in order that the engine engaging member could be properly meshed with the member of the engine to be started. In the present invention,

' -the large reduction between the engine engaging meniber and the flywheel has been considerably modified with a resultant saving in cost of manufacture and ease of assembly. 7 The loss in torque resulting from the modification of the reduction gearing. may be compensated for by increasing the size and/or weight of the flywheel or by in; creasing its speed of rotation.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the drawing, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the arrangement of parts and details of construction.

For example, an air engine, a small internal combustion engine, or manual means may be employed to rotate flywheel 5 at high speed in place of the electric motor 7 if desired. Various other changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts will now readily occur to those skilled in the art and reference will therefore be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In engine starting apparatus having a driven member normally disengaged from but movable to engine engaging position, means for rotating said driven member, means distinct from and movable relatively to said rotating means for moving said rotating driven member into engine engaging position, and means operable during actuation of said moving means for retarding rotation of said driven member prior to movement thereof into engine engaging position.

2. In engine starting apparatus having a starter jaw clutch member movable into engine engaging position, means for rotating said starter member, means for manually moving said rotating starter member into engine engaging position, and means cooperating with the starter member for retarding rotation thereof prior to such movement, said last named means being operable during actuation of said first-named means.

3. In engine starting mechanism, a starter member movable into engine engaging position an inertia member, means for rotating said-inertia member, means for drivably connecting said inertia member and starter member, means having a permanent rotating connection with said inertia member for moving the rotating starter member into engine engaging position, and means operable after initial actuation of said moving means for substantially arresting rotation of said starter member during further actuation of said moving means.

4. Engine starting apparatus comprising a--ro tating starter member movable into engine .en? gaging position, means for moving said rotating starter member into engine engaging position. an engine member, and means carried by the engine member for frictionally engaging said starter member to arrest rotation thereof prior to engagement between the. starter and engine members, said last named means being adapted to yield during actuation of said moving means.

5. Engine starting apparatus comprising a starter member, an engine member, means for rotating said starter member, means for moving said rotating 'starter member into engagement with said engine member, and yielding means associated with the engine member and disposed in the path of movement of said starter member {)or facilitating engagement between said memers.

6. Engine starting apparatus comprising a starter member, an engine member, means for rotating said starter member, means for moving said rotating starter member into engagement with said engine member, and means associated with the engine member for arresting the rotation of said starter member prior to engagement with said engine member, said means including .a member for frictionally engaging said starter member;

7. In starting apparatus of the type having a rotatable engine engaging member and an engine after moving said rotatable member into engage 0 ment with the engine member, and means associated with the engine member and operable during actuation of said moving means for frictionally engaging said engine member whereby said relatively high rotational speed is substantially reduced prior to engagement between said starter and engine members.

8. In engine starting mechanism, a starter member, an engine member, a flywheel, means for rotating said flywheel to store energy therein, means including reduction gearing drivably connecting said starter memberand flywheel, means for axially moving said rotating starter member into cranking engagement with the engine member, and rotatable means operable during substantially all of the axial travel of the starter member for engaging said starter member and reducing the speed of rotation thereof.

9. In apparatus of the class described an engine member, ajaw clutch member, an inertia member, means for rotating said inertia member, means including a yielding clutch for drivably connecting said inertia member and jaw clutch member, means for moving the rotating jaw clutch member into cranking engagement with said engine member, and means carried by said engine member for engaging said jaw clutch member to retard rotation thereof, said last 'member, means for moving said rotating driven member into engagement with the engine member, and engine carried means operable substanstantially continuously during actuation of said moving means for reducing the rotative speed of said driven member.

11. In engine starting apparatus of the type embodying an inertia driving (member, a driven member, means for drivably connecting said members an engine member, means i'orrotating said inertia member, means for moving said rotating driven member into engagement with said engine member, and means including a collar carried by said engine member for yieldingly and frictionally engaging said rotating driven member after initial actuation of said movin means for substantially arresting rotation of said driven member, prior to its engagement with the engine member.

12. In starting apparatus for an internal combustion engine,,a rotary and longitudinally movable engine engaging member, means "for driving said engine engaging member, means for moving said engine engaging member toward driving position, and engine carried means for retarding rotary movement of the engine engaging member during substantially the entire period of movement of the latter to driving position.

13. In combination with an engine clutch member, a longitudinally movable starter clutch member, means for rotating said starter member at high speed, means for moving the starter member toward the engine member, and engine carried means for retarding the speed of rotation of said starter member during substantially all of the iongitudinal movement thereof.

14. In engine starting mechanism including an engine member, the combination with said engine member of yielding means carried by said engine member for engaging the driven starter member during longitudinal movement of the latter to driving position, said yielding means being adapted to retard the rotary movement of the starter member during longitudinal movement of the latter.

15. In engine starting mechanism, a combination with an engine member of an engine engaging member having a constant driving connection with a flywheel in which energy is stored for subsequent transmission to said engine member, the combination with said engine-engaging member and flywheel of means for moving said engine-engaging member into cranking position after acceleration thereof through energization of said flywheel, and rotatable means for retarding the rotary speed of said engine-engaging member during substantially all of the movement into cranking position.

16. Engine starting apparatus comprising an engine member and a starter member movable into cranking engagement with said engine member, means for rotating said starter member, means for moving said rotating starter member into engagement with said engine member, and means carried by the engine member for Irictionally engaging said starter member to retard rotation thereof prior to and until completion of engagement between the starter and engine members. 1

1'7. Engine starting apparatus comprising an engine member and a starter member movable longitudinally into cranking engagement with said engine member, means for rotating said startermember, means for moving said rotating starter member into engagement with said engine member, and means carried by the engine member for frictionally engaging said starter member to retard the rotary speed thereof.

18. Engine starting apparatus comprising an engine member and a starter member movable into cranking engagement with said engine member, means including an inertia member for rotating said starter member, means for moving said rotating starter member into engagement with said engine member, and means carried by the engine member for frictionally engaging the periphery of said starter member to retard the rotary speed thereof.

19. Engine starting apparatus comprising an.

engine member and a jaw clutch'movable into cranking engagement with said engine member, means for rotating said jaw clutch, means for moving said rotating jaw clutch into engagement with said engine member, and means carried by the engine member for frictionally engaging said jaw clutch to retard the rotary speed thereof.

20. Engine starting apparatus comprising an engine member and a starter member movable into cranking engagement with said engine memmember effective during such advance to frictionally retard the rotary motion of said driving member, and means engageable with said driving member to release it from said driven member when the latter acquires ajgreater moinentum.

22. In a device of the class described,l'drivi ng' and driven members engageable to transmit torque in one direction only, means for advancing said driving member into engagement with said driven member, means carried by the driven member effective during such advance to frictionally retard the rotary motion of said driving member, and means engageable with said driving member to release it from said driven member when the latter acquires a greater momentum, said last named means including registering inclined surfaces on said driving and driven members.

23. In a device of the class described, driving and driven members engageable to transmit torque in one direction only, means for advancing said driving member into engagement with said driven member, means carried by the driven member effective during such advance to frictionally retard the rotary motion of said driving member, means engageable with said driving member to release it from said driven member when the latter acquires a greater momentum, said last named means including registering inclined surfaces on said driving and driven members, and additional means for holding said driving member in the released position.

24. In a device of the class described, driving and driven members engageable to transmit torque in one direction only, means for advancing said driving member into engagement with said driven member, means efiective during such advance to frictionally retard the rotary motion of said driving member, and means engageable with said driving member to release it from said driven member when the latter acquires a greater momentum, said last named means including registering inclined surfaces on said driving and driven members, and also including a spring exerting a pressure upon said driving member through said retarding means.

25. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a clutch element drivably connected to the engine crankshaft, a starter driven clutch element engageable therewith, means for advancing said starter clutch element into engagement with said engine clutch element, and a second engine mounted clutch element disposed in the path of advance of said starter clutch element to retard the rotary motion thereof during such advancing movement.

26. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a clutch element drivably connected to the engine crankshaft, a starter driven clutch element engageable therewith,

means for advancing said starter clutch element into engagement with said engine clutch element, and a second engine mounted clutch element disposed in the path of advance of said starter clutch element to retard rotary motion thereof during such advancing movement, and means engageable with said driving member to release it from said driven member when the latter acquires a greater momentum, said last named means including registering inclined surfaces on said driving and driven members.

27. In combination with an internal combus tion engine having a clutch element drivably connected to the engine crankshaft, a starter driven clutch element engageable therewith, means for advancing said starter clutch element into engagement with said engine clutch element, and a second engine mounted clutch element disposed in the path of advance of said starter clutch element to retard the rotary motion thereof during such advancing movement, means engageable with said driving member to release it from said driven member when the latter acquires a greater momentum, said last named means including registering inclined surfaces on said driving and driven members and additional means for holding said driving member in the released position.

28. In combination .with an internal combustion engine having a clutch element drivably connected to the engine crankshaft, a starter driven clutch element engageable therewith, means for advancing said starter clutch element into engagement with said engine clutch element, and a second engine mounted clutch element disposed in the path of advance of said starter clutch element to retard the rotary motion thereof during such advancing movement, means engageable with said driving member to release it from said driven member when the latter acquires a greater momentum, said last named means including registering inclined surfaces on said driving and driven members, and also including a. spring exerting a pressure upon said driving member through said retarding means.

29. In a clutch mechanism, a driving member, a member to be driven, means for rotating and axially shifting said driving member independently of said member to be driven and a friction exerting element carried by said member to be driven and directly engageable with said driving member to act as a brake to reduce the angular velocity of said driving member as the latter is shifted axially toward engagement with said member to be driven.

RAYMOND P. LANSING. 

